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TRAVEL
Santillana del Mar
CANTABRIA
Altamira, Santillana del Mar and Santander
From Cabezón de la Sal we travel to Santillana del Mar, a medieval village that seems frozen in time. Its
cobbled streets and noble houses proudly displaying their coats of arms transport visitors to another era.
Just a few kilometres away lies the Neocueva de Altamira, a perfectly accurate reproduction of the original
cave—an open-air medieval museum featuring replicas of prehistoric paintings that bear witness to human
presence in these lands since time immemorial.
An intense day begins in the historic centre, declared a National Monument and home to the Collegiate
Church of Santa Juliana (12th century), a Romanesque jewel with a finely sculpted cloister. On the outs-
kirts, the Cave of Altamira—often called the “Sistine Chapel of the Palaeolithic”—displays faithful reproduc-
tions of its bison, painted some 15,000 years ago. An experience that transcends art and takes us deep into
the origins of humanity.
Paintings from the Neocave of Altamira
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